Broad River Watershed Association Board Meeting

September 14, 2010

 

 

Present at Meeting:  Robbie Griffith, Jean Smith, Pat Kelly, Victor Johnson, Michael Moody

Debbie Lester, Bud and Mary Freeman, Paul Webb

 

Before the meeting Cat Drose spoke to the group about her fight to stop the rezoning of 3 parcels of land in Madison County on Duffel Martin Rd. to allow eight chicken houses to be built. She plans to speak at the Planning Commission meeting.  She is asking for BRWA’s advice and help with her efforts to stop the rezone. BRWA suggested she encourage lots of her neighbors to attend and speak before both the Planning Commission and at the hearing before the county commissioners. She was encouraged to get as many signatures as possible from Madison County residents on a petition and present it to the commission. The petition will then become part of the public record. She was encouraged to speak to Terry Chandler the Soil and Water Conservation Commission representative. She was encouraged to contact members of the local volunteer fire department. Those are people who are respected in the community and whose opinions carry weight. BRWA also told her that portion of the watershed is partially responsible for the pollution that is impairing a section of the Broad River

 

Robbie brought the meeting to order.

Pat presented the July 13 and Aug. 28 minutes. After review Victor made motions to approve both meetings minutes. The motions were seconded and approved unanimously.

 

Victor presented the Aug. Financial statement. After review Pat moved to approve the statement. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

 

Victor said that the money from the Paddle GA Grant would need to be spent by June or else ask for an extension. Pat reported that the money could continue the monitoring project of Shiloh and Skull Shoals to try to pinpoint the source of the pollution. It would not be enough to pay for the North east GA Regional Commission to compile a stakeholders group to try to fix the problem once it is found. Mary Gazaway does think that there will be funding in the state budget for the NEGARC in 2011. She is encouraging BRWA to become ecoli certified and begin sampling using the Paddle GA grant.

Sampling of Bertam Creek in Elbert County can be done by Bill Hood and other Elbert county landowners with BRWA supplying the training and supplies for the sampling. Jean will contact Bill Hood to see what they are willing to help with. We will need to do ecoli and possibly biological. Mary would like to help. Jean will spearhead Bertram Creek monitoring. Pat will spearhead Shiloh and Skull Shoals Creek monitoring.

Victor is willing to help but cannot spearhead a Blue Trail on the Broad River.

Pat will get an estimate of what is needed for monitoring Shiloh and Skull Shoals

Jean will get an estimate of what is needed for monitoring Bertram.

Maps of the Broad River from Paddle GA could be used for meeting with County commissioners and DNR and Corps of Engineers to convince them that a Blue trail on the Broad would be a good idea. Victor,Pat, Debbie, Michael, and Robbie agreed to help.

 

Victor said we lost money on our Meryl Lynch accounts. Robbie asked that Victor find out what it would mean to change to a local bank.

Mary brought up fundraising. There was much discussion. Michael asked that BRWA update the display on the Kiosk at BRO. It could help get more donations from his customers. Mary suggested she contact the Outdoor Recreation department at UGA Forestry School for   students help. Bud suggested we look into getting a granite marker.

Mary asked if anyone was interested in forming a fundraising committee and be willing to put in the work it would take to do a fundraiser that actually makes a lot of money.

Mary has outlined her thoughts on this and will send it out in email to the board. Interested folks could email her their ideas and she could incorporate them and bring them back to the next board meeting.

 

Robbie brought up that the nominating committee needs a member from the board and the board needs to elect a head of the nominating committee. Sara was voted in the head of the committee.  Jean moved to nominate Becca to the nominating committee. It was seconded and passed unanimously.

 

Jean read an email she received from a UGA student requesting information about any remediation practices on the North, Middle and South Fork of the Broad. Mary suggested that Jean forward that to David Radcliff.

 

Victor is making a file of the EPD permits that are now mailed instead of emailed to BRWA. Cat D’Rose offered to scan them for him so he can email them to the board.

 

The Fall float will be on Sept. 25. and will meet at 11AM at The Kiwanis outdoor pavilion. The pavilion is reserved for after the float. Pat will ask for three tables and 25 chairs. Mary will bring the refreshments.  Billy Pittard, the Oglethorpe County Commission chairman will be attending according to Michael.